All I Am To You
by floodmaster16
Summary: When Mavis and Johnathan suffer a break up, the vampiress decides to go back home. While distraught and hurt, Dracula's daughter finds herself falling for another person. Will he be worth it, or is she just wasting her time again?
1. Prologue

**Hi again! I KNOW that this isn't another chapter of "Hollow Memories", that will ****probably be up... tomorrow, I think. But I really couldn't pass on the opporrtunity to write this story up. A request from ghost509, whom this fanfic is dedicated to (you earned it, pal), and also to all of you who follow me ferviently (even if you are a small number, I don't care, as long as you are interested in what I do). With nothin else to say, let's get to it:**

"_Is this all I mean to you? An object to have fun with whenever you want?"_

"_I don't know what you are talking about, Mavis"_

"_I saw you! With that girl in the nightclub! You think I'm stupid, Johnathan?"_

"_I don't! She was just a friend, I don't know why you are so upset about this, we were just talking and…"_

"_Just talking?! I saw YOU kiss HER! In the lips, Johnathan! I might not know much about humans, but you do not kiss someone when you love another one!"_

"…"

"_You know what? I'm out of here. This was it, Johnathan. I tried to play dumb and justify your actions, but it turns out I'm not dumb enough to keep tolerating them. I'm leaving, and don't bother to follow me!"_

"_Fine! Go away, I cannot stand your jealousy either. I was fine traveling on my own until you came along!"_

* * *

><p>Mavis woke up, remembering where she was. The room was dark, signaling the arrival of the night, the safe moment for her to get up and do her activities. But she didn't want to do anything tonight. In fact, she hadn't wanted to do anything ever since… that day. The day she realized her Zing's true colors.<p>

She was still having daymares about that day, remembering more details every time. It was painful to remember, the fact that Johnathan thought of her as nothing but a fling, a throw-away relationship in which he could do whatever he pleased and she just had to keep her mouth shut about everything. As much as Mavis loved him (he was her Zing, after all), she hadn't fought against her dad's overprotectiveness, against the monster world's prejudice against humans, and against the public opinion of her _dating_ a human just for him to throw all her sacrifices away and play with her emotions the way he did it. It was depressing for her to think about it, but it was hard to do anything else. She curled up in her bed and threw the duvet over her form. It was actually better for her to just lay there, thinking about it until she no longer had strength to cry about it.

_God damn you, Johnathan!_

* * *

><p>Count Dracula was <em>extremely<em> stressed. For one, the hotel was almost full, only a couple of empty rooms left. The guests were, as always, varied in form, colors and necessities, and thus, all the hotel staff was working over-time to make sure every single one of the guests was satisfied with the services provided to them. At the same time, the Hotel Transylvania Manager was also worried about his daughter and the circumstances of her break up(?) with Johnathan. It was an issue that he hadn't quite gotten around to address, partly because his daughter was not yet ready to talk about the issue just yet, and also because he didn't want to be given any more reasons to hate the human. He had trusted the kid with his daughter, the most precious and valuable being in his life, and the… _bastard_ had just wasted the opportunity he had been given.

"I knew humans weren't to be trusted!" he muttered with a scowl on his face.

_Now, that isn't fair!_ Just because Johnathan hadn't turned out to be how they thought he was didn't mean that _all_ humans were bad. But it was fair to say that Dracula's trust in humans had been badly wounded by this situation. While he now knew they were not out to kill him (at least not all of them), Johnathan's transgression proved that some of them were the metaphorical wolf in sheep's cloak.

_Enough of that_, he dryly thought, _the business with Johnathan is a tragedy, but I still have a Hotel to run. Whenever Mavy is ready to talk about it, she will. In the meantime, I'll just keep an eye on her whenever I can._

And that settled everything about it.

* * *

><p>Joseph Horseman stopped at the Hotel's entrance. This was supposed to be his last run of the night, probably even for the entire season, before everyone else got back to their homes. The prospect of going back to a somewhat-peaceful routine was, for once, an attractive proposition. The driver dismounted from the hearse and removed the pumpkin head, just to allow his real, human-looking head, to come out from inside his torso. It never escaped his attention the rather unconventional and outright useless characteristic that his kind had: being able to hide their head inside their torsos. While good for laughs and stuff, in the end his race had somehow adopted the habit of spending way too much time with their heads inside and using cursed pumpkins in their place. Whether for intimidation or for protection, he didn't know, but old habits die hard and he was no exception.<p>

"Huff! I need to spend a bit more time with my head out!" he exclaimed, as he breathed the frigid night-air. _Ah, yes, the clean forest air, unpolluted from any weird chemicals that humans use in their vehicles. How can they breathe those awful things in the air? Beats me._ He was already heading to the revolving door when he heard the sound of horse hooves striking the asphalt on the entrance. When he turned around, he could see what it was: another Horseman, this one with a flaming pumpkin head and riding on a black horse. The powerful animal stopped nearly in front of Joseph, and the rider dismounted.

"Look who finally decided to drop by. Tired of scaring old ladies and playing the badass monster?" Joseph snapped, not amused by the theatrics and certainly not scared by the black-clad figure in front of him. The flaming pumpkin came off, and the head of the newcomer came out. He was a younger male, and by the looks of it, not slightly surprised by the cold reception he was getting from the older Horseman.

"I see your hospitality and social abilities are still top notch" the young man replied in a sarcastic way, which earned him an immediate rebuke.

"Don't talk to me like that, Kevin Horseman! You might be a grown-up now, but I'm still your father. Show some respect for once!"

"Sir, yes sir!"

"What are you doing here, anyway? I thought you 'grown-up, independent' monsters were all out there, mingling with humans and playing the brave guy with their lives"

"Believe it or not I felt like spending time with you, but I see now that I made a stupid choice."

"I'm not a dumbass, kid. You want something, and you think that I'll just give in and help you get whatever it is. Sorry, but not this time, I've gotten myself in enough trouble by helping you out."

"I meant what I said! I'm not here to get anything out of you! Why can't you believe in me for once?" Kevin was used to his father's indifference, and he wouldn't have felt insulted in the slightest way had his father been right about his reasons to be there. But this time he just wasn't, and that seriously ticked him off, "But you know what? Fine, if you don't want to believe then fine, I'll just stay here for the time I had planned to stay and not bother you. Just don't say that I never even tried to fix things between us"

Kevin left without saying anything else, heading for the reception desk with the now-extinguished pumpkin below his left arm. Joseph couldn't avoid feeling slightly guilty at the way he had treated his son. He really hadn't meant to hurt him, but the kid wasn't exactly the easiest person to relate with. Still, Joseph decided that he would apologize and give him a chance… as soon as Kevin cooled down and was willing to listen to what he had to say. An equine snort made him return to the present, and he addressed the creature that had created it.

"Hello, Hades. How are you doing, old pal?" he said, running his hand through the ink-black hair of the animal.

Hades, being a sentient creature (tragically unable to communicate verbally) did his best to answer. _I'm great, thanks._

"I can see that. Have you… been keeping my boy safe?"

A simple nod, which was pretty clear to anyone. _Yes._

"Good, that's... great news." Joseph trailed off, and Hades held his gaze on him, "I know that I was… a little bit harsh with him…"

A long snort was Hades answer. _No shit, Sherlock._

"It's just… I've seen this already, and… he just doesn't learn. I don't know how to make him understand that what he does is risky and should be taken seriously. I just… want him to think a little bit before doing the things he does."

The horse was silent this time, with nothing to say that could possibly help lift Joseph's mood.

"Anyways, I'll go inside, it's been hell for a few days and I need to rest. You know the Count doesn't mind you eating the grass, do you?"

The horse was chewing a lump of grass by the time he finished the sentence. _Already on it, mate!_

Joseph could only chuckle at the sight and make himself scarce, already planning when it would be best to approach his son to apologize. And maybe spending some father-and-son time, as he wanted.

_During dinner, that might probably be a good time._ After all, it was still early in the night.

**So... what do you think? Please remeber to review, feedback is MUCH appreciated, especially when it comes to new ideas like this. Those of you wondering about the update rate (now that I have no less than four active fanfics), I don't want to promise anything, but I'll try to update this along with Hollow Memories. That would be everything I guess... anyways, it's almst 3 a.m. so I'm out, see you on any of my next updates.**


	2. Midnight Activities

**I know, I'm late, I'll explain at the end of this chapter, for now just enjoy:**

Kevin huffed, nearly slamming the door of his room shut.

"Hey, watch it there! I nearly fell off!" the shrunken head on the doorknob called, making Kevin give away a soft apology while setting Jack, the pumpkin head, on the bed and sitting across him on a loveseat.

"You alright, buddy?" Jack had to ask, already knowing the answer. He wanted Kevin to let out, to avoid having to watch him bottle his rage and explode at the next nuisance, something that Jack hated to see.

"I'm fine" the response came, slightly too hostile.

"Yeah right, and I'm racecar driver. Kid, I'm older than you are, and I can tell pretty easily that you are not Ok. Besides, no one would be after the fight you had with your father"

"I know, Jack. It's just… why can't he believe me for once? I meant what I told him. I'm trying to fix this failed parent-son relationship that we claim to have, and instead of hearing me out for once, he blows me away. You got any idea how that feels?" the one-hundred-and-twenty-two years old teenager fumed, impulsively punching the room's wall with all the force he could muster. The outer wood paneling broke completely, but so did his hand when it hit the rock under-layer. The nasty crunching sound startled them both, until pain assaulted Kevin's brain. While he didn't yell, the grimace on his face told the story: incredible pain.

"Smart play, kid, next time drive a wooden stake through your heart, it will be just as useful. That's the problem with you and your father, you are too impulsive, you do things without thinking, and him? He over-thinks everything. Your ideologies don't match, and that's why you are always at conflict. None of you two want to admit you are _both wrong!_ And that's how you end up with a broken hand in your vacations"

Kevin didn't want to hear about it. He had been given the same sermon for the last couple of years, by the same person (well… thing, or whatever Jack was) and in different occasions. His hand was already healing, the bones already back in good condition. His hand would still be bruised for some time, and the pain would last for some more, but it wasn't the first time he had experienced this.

"Spare me the sermon, Jack. I want to be on my own for the rest of this damned trip. I knew coming here was a bad idea!"

"And so what, you are going to bunker yourself in here and avoid contact with the rest of the people in here? Great idea, waste the next month just staying in here because you are mad at daddy. Why? Don't let it bother you that much! And give it time, maybe your dad will come around and decide to give you a chance"

"Yeah, like that would happen. He would never admit he is wrong about something, especially not if it concerns me. I am much more likely to get struck by a flying pig than getting an apology out of him" the teenager was slightly pessimist by nature, but dealing with the issue of his father… that turned him into an special kind of pessimist, the kind that would _never_ hope something good to happen in that specific respect. While the pumpkin could understand the negativity of the kid, having witnessed the rocky relationship he had with Joseph Horseman, he still couldn't understand why none of them could just drop their pride and egos and try to solve the issues. After all, they were both responsible for it. But he was in way above his head, metaphorically speaking.

"Then I guess you'll have to do without that kid, but you can still enjoy your time here, right? Besides, maybe now you'll find someone more… permanent in your life. God knows you need it" Kevin just rolled his eyes at this, and decided to follow Jack's advice.

After all, he really couldn't just stay in his room for the upcoming month.

* * *

><p>Mavis had decided to come out of her room, although she wasn't sure exactly why. She was sitting in a table at the hotel's dining room, all by herself. A half-eaten plate of worm cakes was the only thing keeping her company at the moment, and it gave her more time to think about… well, Johnathan. Despite the fact that the young adult had treated her like crap (to say the least), she had to admit that, deep down, she still loved him too much. It wasn't fair to her, that her first love had seemed to be a good person, and then… well. Her arms were on the table, and her chin resting on top of them, and her eyes stared into nothingness. She didn't even sensed when her father approached to her and sat on a chair to her left. The old Count just looked at his daughter, how demolished she looked, and he couldn't avoid feeling the blood in his veins boil again. If he ever so Johnathan again… well, he <em>would<em> look like a deflated whoopee cushion. After a while of just watching the girl look into nothingness, he cleared his throat, getting her attention. The girl barely turned her gaze towards him, her sky-blue eyes misted with unshed tears. She dropped her gaze to the table again, expecting her father to berate her for trusting in Johnathan. She even closed her eyes, waiting for the stream of words to hit her. But they never came. Instead, she felt herself being embraced, and when she opened her eyes she found her father hugging her close to him. Instead of refusing it, like she had done before her one-hundred-and-eighteenth birthday, she just rested her head in his chest and shed some of the tears she was withholding.

"I'm s-sorry, Dad. You were right. Humans cannot be trusted!" she muttered sourly into his shirt. The Count couldn't do much but sight and hold her close to comfort her.

"No, no, it's Ok, darling. I know… I know Johnathan has hurt you, and… we all trusted him. But it's just like with everyone else, you cannot blame a whole species for the actions of one of them. We've seen the good and the bad of humans, and it's not your fault that you trusted him, alright? Just… give it some time, and everything will be back to normal"

"Y-you really t-think so dad?" she stuttered, looking up hopefully at him. He smiled at her and pressed a kiss to her forehead. It was all the answer she needed.

* * *

><p>Kevin decided to spend time outside with Hades. The black horse was still enjoying the grass that grew on the Hotel's ground, courtesy of Count Dracula, when the teenager came outside looking for him.<p>

"Hey, buddy, having a good time?" he said, grinning at the horse. The animal looked up to him and gave a cheerful neigh: _You bet!_

Kevin rubbed the horse's mane of black hair, then mounting on the saddle and gently nudging it on his sides. Hades just moved his head sideways and began trotting at a slow pace, venturing into the forest in a silent ride.

* * *

><p>Mavis flew above the forest in her bat form, scanning the ground for what she was looking for. She was giving up when she finally caught sight of it. Swiftly, she dived to the ground, and then pulled up as she caught the scorpion on her talons. While still pulling up, she sank her teeth into his head, instantly killing the animal. Her father watched from a nearby tree-branch with a wide smile. It was the first time since she had been away that they had gone out for scorpion hunting, and they were making the most of it.<p>

"Nice work, devil chops. I see you haven't lost your edge" it was all a joke that had started when she was fifty years-old or so. They both knew there was no equal to the legendary Count when it came to hunting, but his ego was something he was willing to sacrifice when it came to his own daughter. The girl graciously flew and then stood still by his side, nibbling into the small animal until she finished up.

"Thanks Dad. You haven't done too well this time. Something wrong?" she asked, more cheerful and upbeat than in the few days, but a certain hint of lingering sadness still hidden on her voice. The Count was relieved that she was feeling a bit better, but knew at the same time that the sadness would take time to go away. In the meantime, he wouldn't let anybody else hurt her that way ever again.

"I'm fine, my sweet dead ums, I'm just not especially hungry. But I think I'll snatch some scorpions for a late night snack. Do you want to come with me?"

"Actually, I would like to just fly for a while. Do you mind, Dad?"

"Of course not, honey. I'll see you back in the castle, don't be too late or the sun will catch you off guard, Ok?"

"Yes, dad, don't worry"

With that, Dracula left to search for his snack, and Mavis decided to just follow the thermal air currents while mid-flight. She was lost into nothingness, in a momentary state of complete peace, and she failed to realize that she was drifting erratically all around the haunted forest, were every year new and dangerous creatures made themselves at home. The thermal current she was riding ended up far too suddenly, and she found herself falling to the ground, with little time to do something about, since she had been flying almost at tree-top level. The girl turned back into her human form and landed on her legs, disoriented for a moment.

"I've got to stop flying with my eyes closed" she muttered, just as she felt the presence of something big, furry and vicious behind her, "Oh, oh"

* * *

><p>"Hades, I think we are lost" Kevin said, looking around. The problem with haunted forests, at least to him, was that they all looked pretty much the same, so it was a bit hard to navigate them without getting lost. The horse snorted, offended that the teenager doubted of his navigational abilities. The son of Joseph Horseman was about to give it up and tell the horse to take him back to the hotel when a high-pitched scream filled the air.<p>

"Whoa! Hades, did you hear that?" It was a stupid question, but Hades still nodded and trotted at top speed towards the source of the scream. When they both arrived, they were amazed by what they saw: a big creature, very much like a great grizzly bear, but with jet-black slicked fur and red eye-slits. Hades immediately reacted, adopting his usual intimidation look, with fire coming out from his eyeballs. Kevin had spent a lot of time dominating the horse's abilities, and so he could use them at his will. This specific task only required a simple one. On Kevin's command, Hades spat a relatively short but fierce-looking stream of fire, and the creature quickly decided to drop everything and run away.

"Ok, creature has gone away. But who was doing all the screaming?" he asked Hades. The horse neighed and pointed in a direction, and Kevin followed it. He found a girl with black dress and stripped black-and-red leggings lying on the ground. Fearing the worst, he sprinted towards her and knelt to check on her. She was unharmed, that much was true, but she was also unconscious. While he didn't know who she was or what she was doing out here, he couldn't very much just leave her out here and hope for the best. Because of this, he reluctantly picked up the unconscious girl (who was very light, or he was very strong, whichever was more likely) and carried her all the way back to the Hotel. While he was aware of the seriousness of the situation (she _had been_ attacked by a strange creature, after all), he couldn't avoid thinking how beautiful the girl was. From her jet-black hair to her slightly puffy but adorable cheeks, he just couldn't find something to dislike about her.

_Focus, Kevin. She needs help right now, not someone to look weirdly at her._

And the walk to the Hotel proceeded uneventful, Hades trailing close by, noticing how his rider's mood had changed after the moment he had found the girl.

**So... yeah, not surre about it myself, but I think it was pretty ok. Now about the updates:**

**I'm gonna drop the weekly-updating thing, guys. I just cannot do that, instead I'm gonna update as soon as I can, and in this exact order:**

**-Hollow Memories**

**-If Only You Knew**

**-All I Am To You  
><strong>

**-Red Typhoon**

**This way I'll be able to satisfy everyone and still deliever chapters. How much time between updates? I don't know, and please don't ask me to give you an estimate, because I just can't. If I'm lucky and I have enough spare time I'll update quickly. If, on the other hand, my professors go into full sadistic mode then I'll be lucky to update once a week. It all depends, but I won't leave you without updates, I just might take a bit longer, alright? **

**Now, remember to leave your thoughts and what you would like to see in the 'Reviews' section. See you in the next update, for those who follow me on Red Typhoon, and I hopefully can update this story soon, I have some ideas of where to go with this, but BE PATIENT, please. See ya.**


	3. Reconnection

The dark fog that clouded her sight began to dissipate, and she could feel her body once again. Sort off.

"Ow, my head hurts…" she muttered. She began to notice details, like the fact she was lying on a bed (which was weird, since she last remembered being out in the forest, and then… nothing…), and the fact that she was moving sluggishly. She also could feel soreness in her face. She tried to sit up, but a hand in her shoulder stopped her movement softly. The long piano-player fingers were familiar to her.

"Dad? What happened? I… don't remember much. And why is my face sore?" she asked, her voice hoarse from dryness. Her father handed her a clear glass with a red fluid inside. _Blood beaters._ The teen vampire gulped the contents in one go, just to fight off the dryness and replenish some force.

"It's ok, darling. You were caught by surprise by a shadow bear, my dead ums. They are very sneaky and vicious too. When I was notified… I feared for the worst, Mavy. I thought you were…" The words were caught in his throat, and he broke his usual cool calm for just a few seconds. He recovered quick enough to have a good look at his daughter. By the expression on her face he could tell that she had just realized how close she had been to danger. The mythical vampire just ran the back of his hand by her cheek, easing off some of the stress and anguish she was feeling.

"How did… who stopped that… thing?" she stuttered, still in somewhat of a shock. _I could have died… I should be dead. Why am I not? Who saved me, and why?_

The old count gave a slight smile, "Do you remember Joseph Horseman?"

"Yes, the driver of the hearse. Is he the one that saved me?" Mavis asked, slightly perplexed, since the driver was rarely at the hotel.

"No, it was his son, Kevin. He was out with his horse in the forest when he heard you scream. He and Hades –his horse- scared off the shadow bear and brought you into the Hotel" he said coolly, holding her hand for comfort. Mavis could remember Kevin. They had been friends many years ago, when they were younger. They were so close that they were rarely seen without each other, and they could spend days playing around the Hotel. He had been one of the few men that the Count hadn't scared away from her life Then, one day, Kevin was no longer at the Hotel. Mr. Horseman had told her that he had decided to go out into the world (Kevin was older than her for some years) and she had never seen him again. It was something that had upset her greatly. She had felt abandoned by his departure, feeling lonely once again in the Hotel, and betrayed by her good friend. But now he was back, and so was she… _Maybe we could hang out. After all, I do owe him for saving my life…_

"You should go look for him later, honey bats. Even if only to thank him" her dad said, echoing her thoughts, "and I have to thank him and Joseph later. I'll give him his stay for free, that should be a good start…"

"Yeah, maybe it will… Dad… did you know he was coming back to the Hotel? Be honest, please." She asked, still lying in bed, but looking at him with pleading eyes. She just wouldn't forget the fact that he had lied to her once, and she probably wouldn't forgive him if he did so again. Truth was easier. Simpler. And this time, it wasn't something nearly as worrying as his precious girl going out into the world.

"Yes, I did, darling. I knew he was coming a week after you came back" he said with a neutral voice. The girl was shocked for only a few seconds. She understood, or at least she thought she could, the reasons why her father wouldn't tell her about it, but it wouldn't hurt to ask him for them.

"Why didn't you tell me? I… I'm not mad about it, dad. I just… want to know." Her look told him everything: she was being sincere. She just wanted to know why, not to incriminate or accuse him of anything.

"I didn't think you were ready to be around anyone. You were very heartbroken by that time, and I didn't want to put any more pressure on you. I wanted to wait until you were ready to go ahead with a normal life. This hardly qualifies as it, but at least now you know, my darling. If you don't feel ready, tough, I can just tell him you are ok"

"No, no! I'm… I'm ok, dad. I'll go look for him as soon as I feel better, ok?" Mavis interrupted. She really needed to get out. Her break-up with Johnathan was going well into a month and she was still waking up with a cold sweat and tears on her eyes. While, she was sure, Johnathan was enjoying her new Hawaiian girlfriend.

She needed it. She needed to get up from her bed and get out of her room.

She needed to go back into real life.

* * *

><p>Kevin sat on his rooms' bed, thinking to himself.<p>

_How the hell did I NOT recognized her? Why didn't I remember about her? Ghoul, have I been away that much? I could swear she looked different last time I saw her. But no… she still looks a lot like I remember her… except… well… she looks kindda… prettier… Ghoul, what am I thinking about? She's Count Dracula's daughter. Even if she where into me, her dad wouldn't let me be around her. It's one thing to save her life. Hanging out with her? No way, I won't live beyond the second day. Besides, I wanted to show dad that I can stay out of trouble. If I do this I might even get him fired… _

It was gnawing at him, both the fact that he hadn't recognized his childhood best (and quite probably only real) friend, and the fact that he was thinking of her as being _attractive_.

"You are awfully quiet, kid" he heard from his right, and turned to face Jack. The pumpkin was grinning widely, and not just because it was his usual expression, but rather because he was finding something to be really funny, and Kevin could guess what it was.

"I'm... thinking, Jack. You know, like talking, but without making any noise?" he jabbed, trying to get the pumpkin head to talk about anything else.

Kevin began remembering things from when they were little kids.

* * *

><p>"<em>Just a bit higher! Why does Modo hide the cookies in the tallest pantry?" a forty-ish year old Mavis said, while reaching up as far as she could.<em>

"_Probably because he doesn't want us to eat them. Or maybe your dad told him to. Doesn't matter, anyways, can't you just turn into a bat and get them?" the boy bellow told her. She was standing on little Kevin's shoulders, and he was having a bit of trouble keeping his balance._

"_I could, but where's the fun in that? Besides, I can only do it for a while and it's very tiring still. So stop whining and help me get just a little bit higher"_

"_Ok, ok, Hotel princess, just give me a sec"_

_He got on the tip of his toes, giving her the few millimeters she needed to catch her objective. And then… he slipped. The young man fell to the floor, easing his fall with his hands. Meanwhile, Mavis hung on to the cupboard with one hand and a box of monster cookies on the other._

"_Kevin! Help!"_

"_Don't worry… just… let go, I'll catch you, Mavy!" he answered, extending his arms in front of him so he could break her fall._

"_Are you sure?" she asked, not frightened but neither very comfortable._

"_Yes, just trust me, Ok?"_

"_Fine…"_

_The girl dropped and fell straight into his arms, finding the momentary trip amusing. She was a giggling mess when Kevin set her upright back on the ground._

"_My hero!" she joked, giving him a kiss in the cheek and running off with the cookies, expecting for him to follow. And of course he followed._

_The cookies didn't last long, and the empty lobby was the perfect place for eating behind their parents backs. Both kids had chowed down the snacks in almost no time and were now sharing a love-seat, with their bellies full of cookie and their laps dotted with crumbs._

"_Too... many… cookies" Mavis said with a light smile and rubbing her tummy with her right hand._

"_Yeah… if I see another cookie… it will be way too soon…" Kevin could barely answer, sitting by her side and looking at the ceiling with an expression of nausea. _

_They stayed still for a few minutes, before Mavis decided to cuddle near him, feeling sleepy all of the sudden. He shifted almost automatically, to let her accommodate herself against him. Being both of them so young, they just weren't aware that the closeness there was between them was something that would be considered awkward for adults. But they didn't know, nor did they care, and soon they both fell asleep, Mavis resting against him and he resting his head on top of hers, while embracing her with his right arm. Count Dracula would find them some minutes later, worried that he hadn't seen his daughter all night and something could have happened to her. The sight before him would have probably made him angry in another circumstances, but he knew the Horseman family too well to be mad at this kid, who was his daughter's best friend and the person that cared the most for her (after himself, of course). He shrugged it off, using a blanket to cover both kids and shield them from the icy air coming through the revolving door._

_He still had a hotel to run, and his daughter was in good hands._

* * *

><p>Without warning or explanation Kevin just stood up and got out from the room leaving Jack talking to himself.<p>

_Room 174. Damn, even that stayed the same. _

He knocked softly, not really wanting to disturb her if she wanted to rest. _What the hell am I doing?_ He wanted to chicken out, but the door opening stopped him before he could even think thoroughly about it. It was Count Dracula himself, and Kevin could only try his best to NOT look too intimidated by the famous vampire.

"Count Dracula… sir… I was just…"

The tall vampire just raised his hand, indicating him to stop and relax, and so he did, "It's ok, Kevin, I remember about you. You don't have to 'Sir' me at all. Actually, I wanted to thank you, for saving my daughter from the shadow bear. I cannot tell you how important that was to me, and I will compensate you to the best of my ability, boy"

"I'm… flattered, but that won't be necessary at all…"

"Nonsense! I insist, it's the least I can do to repay you. And also, I wanted to ask you a favor"

"Sir? I mean… Count?"

"I would like to ask you if you could help me take care of her. I know you two used to be very good friends, and I think you still value each other's company. I cannot be with her as much as I would want to, so I would really be forever in debt with you if you accepted. Can I count on you?"

The logical answer would have been 'Yes, of course', but Kevin was too shocked to string two words together, so the Count just took his nod as an answer, shook his hand, and then left to attend his business. The young Horseman stood in front of the door, weighing the pros and cons of opening it.

_It's now or never, opportunity taken or opportunity lost. It's my choice._

He finally steeled himself, knocked lightly on the door, and turned the knob to it. A sweet smell he hadn't taken in on years reached his nose. The familiar form on the bed shifted to look at him, eyes wide all of the sudden. She sat on the bed, straining her aching muscles. No words at all from any of them, the silence so thick that even a yeti could walk on it. Her intent gaze made him want to cow away, but he held firm, trying to string his thoughts together into something that could be called a sentence. She beat him to it.

"Too many cookies", with a bright smile.

"Way too soon…" A short, but meaningful answer.

**I really love to write about Hotel T... though sometimes I think I let myself go too much. Anyways, this would be it for now. I know my new updating rotation might not be very popular but the way I see it it's a win-win: everyone gets its own dose of fanfics and I'm less pressured to meet unrealistic deadlines. So, don't forget to leave your input on the 'Reviews' secton (feedback=better stories, don't forget) and... that's it, I guess. Oh, wait! Yu'll be happy to now that, tough am heading home for the holidays I will still update as timely as possible on these seasons. See you on my next update which is... Red Typhoon, if I remember correctly.**


	4. Good start-Bad start

The Hotel was silent and calm, very few souls occupying the corridors of the castle. This probably was the cause of the slightly-eerie atmosphere. The witch-maids were enjoying the calm that naturally came with the low season, performing their usual tasks with extra care and in a relaxed manner. Until...

A dark bat shot like a lightning bolt above the maids' heads, who ducked to avoid being hit by the flying rodent. It flew a few seconds more before reaching a more secluded place in the corridor, where it was enveloped in a purple mist and resolved into the shape of beautiful Mavis, who instantly poked her head around the corner to scan the hallway she had come from.

"Where..."

"Boo!"

The vampiress yelped in fright, jumping and ending up standing upside-down in the ceiling, one hand in her chest and taking deep breaths to recover from the scare she had just been inflicted.

"I win!" a voice cheered triumphantly from over her head, and she directed her gaze towards the source of it. Kevin was standing in the same place she had been not two seconds ago, his arms crossed in front of him and a smirk in his face.

"Not fair! We were playing tag, not 'Give Mavis a heart attack'!" the girl whined, giving a pout and momentarily looking like the girl he remembered from all those years ago. Kevin could only chuckle and nod his head sideways, longing for those days when these games would be played for four nights straight before they even began to get bored.

"Still, I won. Not sure what's the price in here, anyways." he continued, unable to stop smiling as Mavis landed back, still annoyed by the scare he had just given her.

"How about a cookie?" it was her turn to smirk now, as they got inside the elevator.

"Hell, no! The last ones are still finding their way out of my system..." he quickly shot back, holding his stomach in mock discomfort. They both laughed at this small joke all the way to the lobby. As the doors parted again, they both took in on the sight before them. The lobby was completely empty, giving a sensation of abandonment that didn't really suited the place.

"Huh... _just_ like I remember it." the young man said with hint of sarcasm in his voice.

"Yeah, I know. It's not very lively on these seasons. But I guess it will get more active next month. You know, because of... my birthday." the sad tone in her voice didn't escape Kevin's attention.

"Are you alright? You seem a little... upset" he asked, sitting in one of the lobby's couches and inviting her to do so too. Mavis did so, but vowed her head low, a wave of sadness overcoming her. It was hard enough having to deal with it, but, actually sharing it with someone like him (who had also caused her pain -albeit not on purpose-)? It wasn't something she was sure to want to go through. Yet, she could remember how it was before. He had always cared for her.

"I... uhm... I met my... Zing last year on my birthday..." she uneasily started, as if not wanting to continue any further. And for a few seconds it seemed like she wouldn't.

"That... should be great news. You shouldn't be upset about that. You should be... happy..."

"Yeah, well... at first it was great. He seemed to be so attentive and caring. We even... went on a trip, you know?"

"Wait, Mr. TightCoffin actually let you out?" he asked with a bit of disbelief, trying to lighten the air, even if just a little bit.

"Yeah, I couldn't believe it either" she answered, chuckling slightly at the memory, but her light mood died as fast as it had appeared, "We... we went to Hawaii. I always wanted to go there. And... it was great... until... one day...".

Kevin could only listen to the muffled sobs of the vampiress, feeling like he was intruding too much and causing her unnecessary pain. He gently pulled her close for a hug, enveloping her frail-looking body with his arms. It was a sincere gesture, with no ill intentions, but it sparked something within Mavis. Far from recoiling from the embrace or even feeling awkward for it she actually... _liked_ it.

"I'm... I'm sorry... for insisting on this. If there's something I can do... to help you..."

"Just... don't leave this time. Please?"

Those words hung in the air, surprising both of them. They had gone out of her mouth without going through the part of the brain that makes sure those are the words you want to say, surprising them both. They looked at each other with wide eyes, deep in disbelief.

"I... uhm..."

"I'm... I'm sorry... I need to go" before he could process the sentence she had already turned into a bat and was racing out of there.

"Wait! Mavis!"

Far. Too. Late.

* * *

><p>Count Dracula calmly made his rounds of the night, checking on the work that had to be done even when there weren't many guests in the place. <em>The witches are doing the cleaning and the gargoyles are helping with repairs. Everything is going smoo...<em>

_"_Ooof!" he found himself cashing into someone.

"Ouch... Oh, Count Dracula, sir, sorry!"

"What? Ah, Joseph! I was looking for you a while ago." the Count announced, forgetting the small incident.

"Uhm, me, sir? Don't tell me it's bad news..."

"No, no, no. Quite the contrary. I wanted to tell you how grateful I am to your son Kevin for saving my sweet Mavis a couple of days ago. Your kid is very brave, Joseph." the legendary vampire counteracted, not at all surprised by the man's reaction.

"Oh... yeah, I... heard about that. I guess I should... commend him on it."

"I take it you and the kid haven't been able to clear up the problems you have?" the details of Joseph's and Kevin's relationship with each other were pretty known to him, but he had never been one to intrude in their lives (after all, he had enough with his own daughter), but this time he felt like he could make a difference for good.

"I guess... this time it was my fault. He really did tried to talk, I just... wouldn't listen..."

"I think you should talk to him. I know it's hard to acknowledge when we make a mistake, but sometimes a simple apology goes a long way, especially if you are sincere about it. Talk to your kid, Joseph. Maybe this time you'll both be willing to listen."

* * *

><p>Kevin sat lonely in the lobby. It had been ten minutes since the small freak out and the words were still repeating in his head like a bad record.<p>

_Just... don't leave this time. Please?_

He tried to make sense of it, but the more he thought about it the more he felt guilty. He knew that he had been the only real friend she had in her childhood. He knew that she relied on him, that she trusted him. An then one day, he was no longer there. No warning, no hint. Not even a good bye. He couldn't avoid feeling like he had betrayed her without trying.

"Ghoul, I'm such an idiot!"

"Well, I wouldn't use that word, but if you insist..." a mug of (what appeared to be) coffee appeared by his side, and upon closer inspection he realized that it was his father who was holding it.

"Are you here to insult me some more?" he asked in a deadpan (and slightly annoyed) tone. His father sighed, sitting across him with a mug of his own.

"Actually, I came here to... try and apologize. I know that... I was way out of line, and that... I should have listened to what you tried to tell me. It's just... it's not easy, kid. Being a parent. And even less so when you have to do it on your own. I know... I know that's no excuse, but I wish you could just... understand. Understand why I tell you the things I tell you. I'm not trying to give you hell kid... I'm just... trying to make life a bit less difficult for you" It was hard. Joseph had to admit that he had been a bit too harsh on his own son over the years, not exactly the "caring and loving" type of parent. He regretted it, but there was nothing he could about it now. Time had passed, and he had wasted it.

"I know, dad. I know that you don't want to be mean on purpose. But it's bad enough that you do it without meaning it. You were rarely there for me, never commended me for my achievements. You were always distant with me. And even today..." he had to stop, lest he began saying things that he would regret later.

"I know. And you are right. I wasn't a great dad to you. But... I think... that, just maybe... maybe it's not to late, you know?"

It wasn't something that was going happen overnight. The damage was done already, and hoping it to go away with a flick of the hand was wishful thinking. But there's always a place to start, and it was no different this time.

"You really think we can do this? After all these years?" Kevin wanted to believe, but he wasn't one for false promises.

"We can try, son. We really don't have much to lose..."

And they silently agreed to do so, looking forward to at least try to do something to improve their relationship.

"So..." Joseph just had to say, "You and Mavis?"

Kevin's jaw dropped. _Not a good start, dad._

* * *

><p>Mavis sat on the rooftop, sadly looking into nothingness and resting against the Hotel's chimney. With her blue eyes fixed someplace in front of her and the sad look in her face anybody would think that she was a lost child crying for her mother. Which is exactly why a certain vampire had landed in the roof after seeing her while out on his last flight of the night. The Count had spotted his daughter's curled-up form mid-flight, and decided to go and see what was going on. He landed by her side, but the girl didn't even flinched, only looking towards him in a sad way.<p>

"Mavis honey bat. What's wrong? Why are you like this?" he asked, kneeling by her side.

"It's... it's nothing, dad." she tried to lie, but even she could tell it sounded fake as hell.

The Count sighed, sitting by her side, "You don't trust me. That's it."

"No! I mean... I do trust you. It's just... something that I need to think about."

"I see." a playful smile suddenly formed in his lips, "Is it about... you and Kevin?"

Oh, if Mavis could blush...

"DAD!" she exclaimed in alarm, her face actually picking up a very light shade of pink.

"What? I always thought that he was a good kid, you know? I was kindda hoping that he would... help you forget about... the Johnny thing."

"What?! Dad! Are you trying to..."

"No! No... I... I am not trying to manipulate your life again, my dead ums. I'm just saying... he's a good kid. I would understand it if you... you know..." Nobody really wanted a re-run of last-year's 'fake village' fiasco.

"I... I don't know dad. I... I need to solve that question on my own, if you don't mind."

"Of course, my sweet fangs. Don't stay out too late, please, the sun is about to come out." with that he left to rest on his coffin, leaving the girl alone again.

"I know, dad. I know"

* * *

><p><strong>Terribly sorry about the delay, this chapter was going to be up two days ago, but my phone messed up my files and it got erased (damn you, Windows Phone!) Still, I hope you are not too mad about this... right?... right?<br>**

**Anyways, don't forget to please review, your feedback is everything to people like me. See ya next update.**


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